Yes on Measure U – with reservations

Sales taxes are regressive. Transportation should be financed nationally and statewide, from a progressive tax system along the lines of Europe or at least the US in the 1950s and 60s. Money should be allocated to regions according to need. Economies of scale. Transportation and infrastructure should be covered by those government entities with the power to impose income tax.

But since the late 70s and as consolidated in the early 80s national spending has been redirected towards the military and state spending in California has been greatly impacted by limitations on the ability to generate revenue. Moreover, we passed term limitations which, as I’ve argued in the past, negatively impacts rural areas since nobody is in long enough to establish relationships to ensure money flows outside of the concentrations of voters needed to win statewide positions. And in order to pass this tax proposal, we need two thirds of the vote – which is ridiculous. We probably won’t get it.

So rural counties must fend for themselves. Which means we’re forced to fund through sales taxes. And we’re not taking in enough, apparently. So if we need more, we need to impose sales tax increases.

Some of the objections: No set structure on how the money will be spent. No guarantees that local contractors will be hired. Vagueness in the tax payer oversight committee function and structure. Municipalities already have their own taxes.

Thing is, we elect people to allocate the money. We entrust them with that. If they fail, they lose elections, and if they don’t then that’s the voters’ choice. A committee, regardless of specific function, will provide one added element of sunshine, though personally I think the idea is silly. I would actually be happier if we were talking about an increased tax to go into the general fund to be used as needed according to priorities set by the body we elect to do so.

6 comments

“state spending in California has been greatly impacted by limitations on the ability to generate revenue.”

Total lie EK, total lie and you know it.

Revenue is already too much, and it is wasted.

Might as well solicit politicians to make every day of the year in California a state recognized holiday for progressive public tax money spending and wasting, but duly noted neo cons share in the festive spending too……local grass roots politics = tax, tax, tax….. this is the connection building with the community, apparantly.

Ken S. seems to be pretty cool. Easy talking guy who is a sharp thinker, cares about the community and approaches politicians straightforward……an HOJ kinda human being not afraid to critique openly in order to get things right.

HOJ met him outside the BOS chambers while EK was no doubt hanging a jury.

I can’t go with you on this one. Local governments have learned a quick way to raise bucks is with sales taxes and it won’t stop until the People say NO enough times.

As a Regressive tax, it is an inappropriate way to raise money for government. It is rather sadistic that we depend on the poorest of our people to pay way out of proportion to their ability to pay. This needs to end.

Sales tax does one other thing that I would think the Chamber of Commerce crowd would find objectionable. It increases the price of the things we buy. When the cost of goods increase, buying decreases. Decreased buying means less money circulating in the local economy which means people paying less tax. This leads to yet fewer goods being bought, less tax gathered etc. etc. etc.

However, we hear nary a peep from the CoC crowd even while their economic throats are being cut with a rusty dull blade.

We need to resume responsible taxation… Progressive taxation. Measure “U” is us going in the wrong direction. This is us shooting ourselves in the proverbial foot over the long run for a short turn gain.